Friends

"I've never been to an outdoor Christmas party." That's what I heard a few times last Saturday night (12/13/08). Maybe it's because Joel and I are from Florida where it's not uncommon to do things "outdoors" most of the year or may we're just a little crazy, but that's what we pulled off here in Northern Virginia. Who cares that it was below freezing! The band played on! It was a little crazy. Do you know how hard it is to roll up a bounce house that has frost on it? Let's just say that rubber tends to get really hard when it's cold. But the party was really cool (no pun intended). I met some really neat people. Two ladies came with some special friends that they work with after seeing our flyer in Dairy Queen. Another lady came with her two sons who's husband is a local police officer. A man and lady came with their kids who just moved in down the street one month ago. Plus lots of old and new friends that we've made since moving here to Culpeper.

Friends, that's an important quality of Mosaic Church. We want to be friends, to be a friend to the community. The Bible has a lot to say about "friends." It says that in order for a person to have friends he must be friendly. Kinda goes without saying, but we've all met some really unfriendly people. In fact, there have been times when I've been the one who was unfriendly. It's a quality that I have to work at, because I don't always feel like being friendly. Do you? Jesus once said to his disciples, "I know longer call you servants, but friends" (Duane's translation). There's something special and meaningful about being called a "friend." Real friends are too few sometimes. I heard someone say one time that when you die you need to have 6 real friends, because that's how many you will need to carry your casket. Jesus also said, "No greater love than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends." Sometimes I'm unfriendly. Sometimes I am a good friend. But, there is no greater friend to me...to you, than Jesus. The greatest act of friendship and love would be to give one's life so another could live. I heard a story one time about a little boy, maybe 6 or 7 years old, whose baby brother was born with a rare blood disease and needed a blood transfusion immediately. The only one with the same blood type was his older brother. So the father asked his son if he would give his blood for his brother. The little boy said yes of course, but not quite understanding it all. As the little boy was lying on the bed next to his baby brother and the blood began to run through the tube to his brother, he looked at his dad and said, "Daddy, when do I die?".

Be friendly. Be a true friend. Trust in the One who is our friend.

Assessment

Yesterday my wife and I traveled to Richmond to meet with an Assessment Team for the SBCV (Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia). Although we don't put it in our name, we are a Southern Baptist Church and I am a Southern Baptist Church planter. (We are not ashamed to be a Baptist at all, we just don't want the name Baptist to be a barrier to the gospel) Every year, as a church planter, I am assessed by a group of guys who are or have been church planters themselves. It was very valuable to sit with these guys and discuss where we've been and where we are going with Mosaic Church of Culpeper. I want to say how much I appreciate their insight, guidance, support, and encouragement. It was tremendously encouraging to be with these guys yesterday. Before the assessment I was asked to write a "state of the church" address. Basically, to evaluate where we've been, what worked well, what didn't work so well, and where we are headed. It's good every now and then to stop and do an assessment, not only on what you do, but also on who you are. It's good to ask the tough questions, "How am I doing in my walk with God?", "What's worked and what hasn't worked so well in my journey?", "Where am I headed?", "What do I need to improve upon or do differently to better my relationship with Jesus?". Sometimes in life, like church planting, you can get caught up in so many other "things" that you loose focus on the most "important thing." Assessment helps us to refocus and redirect. Have you done an assessment lately? Maybe you need to stop (I know that's hard for all of us) and do a little soul searching. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you've gotten off a little bit...a little bit out of focus.

Power

Travel, it's what many of us do, or did, over the holidays. I traveled to Florida on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, but it was not for the holiday, or to eat leftover turkey with my mom. No, I went there to attend the funeral of my uncle James. Fortunately I was able to travel by airplane than make the 13 hour drive. While sitting there strapped into my seat on the Boeing jet paused on the runway for takeoff, I waited in anticipation for the pilot to push the throttle full thrust sending us down the runway. Having flown a few times, there's a sense of fear right at the time the plane begins to move forward. A fear of "what if?". But also there is this amazing display of power. As the plane lurches forward and your body is thrown back into your seat, you hear the roar of the powerful jet engines. I flew out of Richmond International and had a connecting flight in Atlanta, so there were four take-offs and landings on my trip. Each time I was impressed by the power it took to propel a gigantic plane filled with passengers down a runway and then into the sky. Incredible power. But, nothing compared to the power of God. As we study Mark's gospel at Mosaic Church here in Culpeper on Saturday nights, Mark continually puts the power of Jesus on display. Recently we examined the incident where Jesus cast demons called Legion out of a man living in a cemetery in Mark 5. Jesus has all authority and all power to command even the unseen demonic world. He has the power to change a man's life. One moment he's a crazed maniac, the next he's in his right mind. Changed. God has the power, real power to change our lives, the power do do anything. His power is on display all around us. We usually overlook it, but it's there. Where do you need to see God's power displayed? He can do the impossible. He can change lives. He can calm the storm. He is all-powerful and can make the impossible possible.

Rich

I have to make a confession. I like to watch cars go round and round on a track. I like Nascar. Don't knock it unless you've experienced it! There's nothing like sitting...no standing, in the stands as 43 cars go by, bumper-to-bumper, at 200 mph! Talk about about a rush. Tonight I saw the end of the last race of the season in Homestead, Florida. I saw Jimmy Johnson become the Nextel Cup Champion for the third straight season. Something only one other driver has ever done. Pretty cool. Then something happened that really made me jealous. For his accomplishment, they handed Jimmy a check for $7.2 million dollars! That blew me away. $7.2 million dollars for driving a race car...for driving in a circle and turning left. I'm really jealous! But, seriously, it made me really think about what our world...our society...culture, rewards. Again, understand, I really like racing. I like to go to the races. I've taken my whole family to Daytona several times to the Pepsi 400, and my girls even like to go. But, it really struck me as I saw him lift that check high over his head for $7.2 million dollars, about the vast difference between what God values and what others value...what God rewards and others reward.

We've been having a discussion about money here at Mosaic the last couple of Saturday nights. A hot topic for all of us lately, especially in this election we just experienced. But, there are a couple of things that I am continually reminded of: 1) Compared to the rest of the world, most of us here in America are rich. If you have a car then you are rich, because 90% of the world doesn't own one. If you have fresh, clean, running water, then you are are rich, because most of the world doesn't. I don't have to have $7.2 million to be rich, just have a car. Here's what the Apostle Paul says to us rich folk: "Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever imagine--to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous." (1 Timothy 6:17-18 The Message) I don't know what Jimmy Johnson will do with all that cash...it doesn't matter...I don't answer for him. But for rich folks like me, God values being rich toward others and generosity. 2) In God's Kingdom everything is reversed. In His kingdom, the last will be first and the least will be honored. I'm a citizen of the kingdom of God here on this earth. To make a difference in the kingdom here and now, then my values have to be reversed also. The last and least, not the first and the most, should be where my values lay.
I'm still jealous, though. $7.2 million for driving a car! Where's the fairness in that? Oh, well, God knows.
Duane

Broken

I just finished a tough week at school. To help support us financially, while planting Mosaic Church, I'm working as a Therapeutic Day Treatment counselor at Eastern View High School. I basically work with at-risk kids all day at school. Kids who are on the verge of being kicked out of school. I'm there to help, hopefully, to keep them in school. After school I am working as an In Home Counselor for a troubled kid and his family. A family that has had generations of anger and dysfunction. I'm there to help give them some hope and help them find a way to change. So many broken lives from so many broken and dysfunctional homes. When I was a full-time pastor, I tended to stay in my "church world". I hung out with mostly my Christian friends. I did "Christian" things with my "Christian" friends. It was safe and non-threatening. Working in these two environments, a public high school and a dysfunctional home, has, and continues to open my eyes to the broken, lost, and desperate world I live in. At times I feel like a missionary in a foreign country. Stepping out of my "church world" and into the "real world" seems foreign to me. A whole other world. Where I'm the minority. Yet, that is where I need to be. I believe its where Jesus would be if he were here in Culpeper. He'd be where the broken, lost, and desperate people are. He'd be at a public high school and a home of a hurting family. And yet when you think about it, He is there. He's there through me, because He lives in and through me everyday. It reminds me of "Jesus and his disciples were at home having supper with a collection of DISREPUTABLE guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: 'What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the riff-raff?' Jesus, overhearing, shot back, 'WHO NEEDS A DOCTOR: the healthy of the sick? I'm here inviting the SIN-SICK, not the spiritually-fit." Mark 2:15-17 (The Message)

Duane

Unexpected

September 30, tomorrow, is our one year anniversary here in Culpeper, VA. One year ago we rolled into town on a Sunday afternoon in a big orange U-haul truck with our Pontiac Vibe in tow. It doesn't seem possible that one year has already passed! But here we are one year later. This has been the toughest year of my life. This has been the most amazing year of my life. The journey has taken many twists and turns. It has taken me places that I didn't expect. A year ago, I never expected to work in a place like Sears or be a Substitute Teacher or be employed by a counseling agency and working full-time in Culpeper's new high school. I truly expected Mosaic Church would be fully launched by this time, but God's timing has been different than mine. Sometimes I wish He'd do things on my schedule. Sometimes I question God's judgment. I question His decision making. Imagine that! Me, a mere mortal, questioning the infinite God. He is so patient with me. I am blessed by His grace. Right now, Mosaic church is at 25 people strong. We have grown from 7 to 25 in the last 2 months. Some of the original people who started with us in April, who I expected would be a part of our launch team, are no longer with us. God is building His church with the people He wants. I expected those who started with us to still be with us, but God had different plans. I wonder what God is doing sometimes. I'm learning to expect the unexpected with God. We have received unexpected gifts from people many times over that past year. Unexpected blessings! We've also had unexpected challenges in our personal finances. I keep trusting God. I expect Him to come through for me, His child. And He always does, but usually in unexpected ways and with unexpected people. I guess that's why this has been such a difficult yet amazing journey. I never know what to expect with God. That's what makes the journey exciting. I'm leaning not to worry, just expect something unexpected.
Duane

He wants my Heart

What makes you angry? People who cut you off in traffic? People who talk on the cell phone in a resturant? Injustices in the world? The neighbor's dog who barks at all hours of the night? Mean people? It could be anything. Have you ever thought about what makes God angry? You could probably come up with a few things. Maybe war, or parents who abuse and neglect their kids, or government officials that commit genocide, or...it could go on and on. In our study of Mark's gospel on Saturday nights, we discovered something that makes God angry. In Mark 3, Jesus, God the Son, got angry at the religious people and their "hard-nosed religion". The religious people of Jesus' day, called the Pharisees, were more interested in religion on the outside than they were about a relationship on the inside. Their hard-nosed religion defined the way they lived. They were into keeping rules and trying to impress God. And all that mattered to them was that everyone else kept the rules too. God was not impressed. He hated what they were doing. Why? Because it wasn't from their heart. In chapter 7, Jesus, speaking about the Pharisees, quoted Isaiah, "These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it. They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it." God wanted their heart. All they gave God was their lip service...and it made Him angry. It's like giving someone a gift...or saying its a gift, but only doing it because you feel you have to. Its not really from the heart. Nobody wants that kind of gift. God only wants our heart. Where do we get off anyway thinking that we can do anything to impress God! We can't, but we can give Him our heart. And that's what He wants the most.
Duane

The Name

I went to my first AA meeting last night. I can hear what you're thinking. "What?!" I went not as a member but as a visitor. One of our guys here at Mosaic Church is a recovering alcoholic. He and his wife and son have been coming for about a month and a half now, every Saturday night. Pete goes to an AA meeting just about every night of the week. The last couple of weeks, Pete has asked me to go with him to one of their open meetings. I really want to be a support for him, so I told him I would go. So on Sunday night we drove to Madison, about 15 miles away to a Presbyterian Church and there I attended my first AA meeting with a group of mostly men and a few ladies. Pete introduced me to several of his friends and then we went into the church fellowship hall and found a place to sit. I kinda felt like church...since it was in a church, and we were sitting on the back row. They took an offering to cover their expenses and even prayed. A couple of things really struck me as the meeting began with a few announcements and then the introduction of the night's speaker. One was the use of the terminology of "higher power". I could tell that the speaker was very religious. He spoke about growing up here in America and about having parents from India. Yet, I'm not sure which God he was referring to. Was it "Allah", one of the many thousands of Hindu gods, or Jesus? Another thing that struck me was that the name of Jesus was never mentioned. It's amazing to me that people can talk and talk and talk about God and "whatever that is to you", yet when one brings up the name of Jesus people get offended and controversy breaks out. I'm not saying it does at AA meetings. I don't know, I've only been to one. But that's what the name of Jesus does. It divides. There's no gray area. His name either excites you or offends you. Now don't get me wrong, I think that AA is doing a great job of helping people get sober and stay sober. In fact, they're doing what the church should be doing. They are accepting, they hold each other accountable, and they welcome you back even when you mess up. Sounds like a church, but its not. AA has done a wonderful job helping my friend Pete and I'll go back with him sometime to show my support. As a church, we should model acceptance, accountability, and welcome each other with open arms even when we've blown it. But what makes Mosaic different from AA is the name of Jesus. He is the healer of our diseases. He is the comforter of broken hearts. He is the grace-giving God of mercy to those who blow it time and time again. He is the name by which we are saved. Without Him it doesn't matter if you gain your whole life but lose your soul.
Duane

Perfect

Saturday was a historic day for Mosaic Church. 20 of us celebrated our first communion as a church here in Culpeper. As we began our celebration we opened it up for anyone to share their past experiences with communion. It was very interesting to hear the different experiences people had had in the past. Some shared their experiences as children growing up in the Catholic church and on into adulthood. How mechanical and impersonal it seemed. Others talked about the different traditions that really weren't explained. Some had never participated in communion...ever. Several had no idea why we take communion or the reasons why it important to our faith. How refreshing it was to share our first communion with a group of people excited about starting a new church...a new faith community. Everyone put aside their expectations and their past experiences to enjoy something fresh and new. And that's precisely why Jesus came. He came to start something new. He put aside the old plan, the old covenant, with its limitations, its incapabilities, and brought us the new plan, the new covenant, "written in (his) blood". A plan that is capable and unlimited. It takes away all our sins... from anyone who will believe. No matter how checkered our past. No matter how scetchy our present. No matter how uncertain we feel about our future. His body was given for us. His blood was poured out for us. To do what we couldn't do...save ourselves. "Christ made a single sacrifice for sins...It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people." (Hebrews 10:12-13 The Message) That's a perfect description of the people here at Mosaic Church in Culpeper, VA. Some very imperfect people being perfected by a perfect Savior.
Duane

Inside Out

Who's job is it to change people? The President? The Preacher? Who has the authority? The right? Even if a person did have the right and the authority, can a person really change another person? Maybe, if we're talking about outward change. A plastic surgeon can change a person's appearance. A personal trainer can make you loose pounds and change your weight and body build. But, does outward change really change a person? It may give a person more self-confidence. A person may feel better about themselves. We all know this to be true. But, where does real change begin? Where does lasting, enduring, transforming change take place? I grew up in a church where real change was looked at as something that affected you mostly on the outside. There wasn't a written list of "do's" and "don'ts", but you heard about them all the time. You knew what they were because they were mentioned in every sermon. When a person came to a service dressed differently, they would get the stare, or someone might even say something to the effect, like, "we don't dress that way around here." Growing up in that atmosphere, you always felt guilty, judged, and bound up. You really never felt "free". What I discovered over the years is that a list of rules that attempted to change me on the outside to conform to someones idea of holiness, never really changed me. In fact, it only made me desire to go against those ideas all the more. At Mosaic Church we don't hand people a list when they walk in the door. We don't tell people this is what you need to start doing and this is what you need to stop doing. It's not my job. I don't have that authority. But, there is someone here at Mosaic who does. His name is Jesus and by his Spirit he will change us from the inside out. That's what he came to do. We need to stop trying to do His job. Holy Spirit change me! Change us! Cut out everything in me that doesn't look like you.

As he preached he said, "The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will change your life. I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism--a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit--will CHANGE YOU FROM THE INSIDE OUT."
Mark 1:7-8 (The Message)
Duane

Destiny

What is God doing? When I receive salvation by faith in His Son Jesus, is He done with me? Is the rest left up to me? Most Christ followers would say "no", but unfortunately most don't live their lives that way. I believe that many people who call themselves "Christian" live a performance based Christianity. Most would say that they believe in "grace" but their lifestyle says that they believe like the old saying, "if it is to be, then it's up to me". What am I talking about? What I'm saying is that a lot of Christians act like God does the saving (He gets the whole thing started) then He leaves it up to us to carry it out and make all the necessary changes. Some also believe that Christians are the agents of change in other people's lives...that it's our duty to change people over to our way of thinking...over to our way of living. Is that our job? I don't think so. We discover truth. We share truth. The changing of a life is up to the Spirit of God. The change that's necessary in my life is made by the Spirit of God. He does the changing. I'm not called to live the best I can and do the best I can to change in me what needs changing. My best isn't enough. Only He can change me. I need His best. I need Christ living in and through me by His Spirit. Christians who believe that God saves them, then the rest is left up to them are performance based Christians. They have their list of do's and dont's for themselves and especially for others. But apostle Paul said this, "By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge--a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete" 2 Corinthians 1:22. God gave us His Spirit...His pledge to us. We can't do it ourselves. That was the whole purpose of giving the Law. To show us that we can't live up to it. We need help. The Spirit is the "beginning of what HE is destined to complete." Who will complete it? HE will! That's a promise! It's a promise that I can't keep, but He can. He made my spirit new by making me alive with Christ and He's transforming my soul...my mind, will, emotions, personality, etc., to be more like Him everyday. That's our destiny.
Duane

Waterfall

One of the things that attracted me to Virginia was the mountains. And a great thing about living in Culpeper is that I'm only 3o-40 minutes away from beautiful Skyline Drive that etches its way along the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah National Park. A couple of days ago, my friend Joel and I, took the afternoon off to ride up to the mountains. A few weeks earlier, my family and I had hiked to Dark Hallow Falls up at Big Meadows on Skyline Drive, so I thought Joel would enjoy this hike to experience these breathtaking waterfalls. After parking the car near the entrance to the trail, we grabbed our water bottles and headed down the mile and a quarter trail to the falls. One of the things that caught my attention right away was how small the stream is where you begin your hike. By the time you get to the falls the water is rushing over the rocks at hundreds of gallons per minute. Its amazing to me how such little water could become a tremendous deluge of water in just a relatively short distance. Jesus described the kingdom of God in a similar way. He said it was like tiny seed that grows into a huge tree. For now Mosaic is in the trickling stage and by faith I believe God will grow His church into whatever He wants it to be. The key, I'm learning, is "God" will do the growing. Its mysterious, just like the mysterious way a trickling stream becomes a gorgeous waterfall. I don't have all this church planting thing figured out, but I know He does. So, I'm content to keep doing what He's created me to do, and that is to become all that He wants me to be. For all of us, I believe it all boils down to this alone...a journey to become all that He wants us to become. God has plan for our lives. The plan is not mysterious, but rather simple. Jesus said it very plainly when he said that it all comes down to loving God and loving others. Imagine what our world we would be like or even our town, neighborhood, family, if everyone was becoming what God intended us to become...people who love Him and love everyone else around us. Some days it seems to come easy, other days I just don't feel like it. Its a journey of "becoming". On our way back up from the falls it became very clear very fast that the hike would be much more difficult. We took our time. We took a lot of breaks, especially when Joel's leg began to cramp. Even though this journey of life I'm on sometimes seems easy and other days is extremely challenging, I'm believing that my trickling stream will come along side of other trickling streams and together we will become God's waterfall here in Culpeper.
Duane

The Pew Has Left The Building!

"We're giving away the pews from the choir loft" we heard the pastor say this morning at a church my wife and I attended. The church is going through a remodeling phase and the pews in the loft have to go. He said, "Anyone who would like to have one can take one. They're free." As I thought about the offer I wondered what would someone do with a pew at their house? I couldn't imagine anyone using one or replacing one of their couches for an uncomfortable pew! What would be the purpose? Maybe it could be a memento or a piece of furniture that would spark conversation by those visiting your home or maybe it could be considered an antique. Whatever it's purpose would be it's still out with the old and in with the new. The old pews are out the door and being replaced by something new. The old pews are leaving the building, never to be brought back again. They have no more purpose in that sanctuary. That's Apostle Paul said about Christ followers. He said, "anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The OLD LIFE IS GONE, a new life burgeons" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (The Message). When I received my new life by faith in Jesus Christ, my old life was crucified with Christ and buried, never to come back again. I rose with him a new man. Sometimes I can try to accomplish things in my flesh, but my old man, my old nature is gone. He has no purpose in this sanctuary any longer. He has left the building, never to return. When Jesus creates something, "It is good."
Duane

More Than We Deserve

Sometimes you get more than you expect...more than what you deserve. "God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he's rich in love" Psalm 103:8 (The Message). I have been wanting to take Bryce to a Major League Baseball game for some time. Now that we live within driving distance of the Washington Nationals I've been looking for an opportunity. Yesterday morning I went online to see if they were playing at home and what the ticket prices were. And to my pleasure I saw they were playing the Orioles at 1:30 and there were "family fun" tickets for $14 which included a hot dog, drink and chips. So, we headed out towards D.C. We parked in Vienna and got on the Metro (the subway system for D.C.) which took us to within a block of the Nationals Park. We got in line at the box office to buy tickets but were disappointed to find out that the Family Fun Tickets were sold out and the only tickets left were $10 standing tickets (that means you have to stand somewhere, you don't have a seat) or the Diamond Club seats which were $175 a piece. We walked away disappointed that we had traveled so far and were so close, but couldn't afford to get in. Bryce began to cry and I was brokenhearted for him that he would not get to see the game. As we walked around the entrance trying to decide what to do next, an older gentleman walked up to us and asked if we needed tickets. He said he was an attorney from D.C. and had a group of season tickets that he didn't need. The face value of the tickets were $55 and he said he would take $25. We told him our situation and the tickets we had come to buy and he told us that these would be much better. We didn't have cash on us so to our surprise he said he would take a check. We thanked him and excitedly walked to the gates and on towards our seats. Our tickets took us to place called the Stars and Stripes Club...an air conditioned club with food vendors, shops, and lots of lounge chairs and tv's. Our seats were on the first row of the lower deck along the third base line. It was more than we expected. We had planned to sit in the right field upper deck with the family fun tickets, but this was more than we could have imagined. And what a game, too. Belliard hit a 2 run home run in the 12th inning with 2 outs to win the game for the Nationals. What a day! Some might think that all this is coincidence, but my God is a God of mercy and grace. We get more than we deserve and He doesn't treat us as we deserve. I was surprised by what happened. It's not what I expected or planned. Sometimes God has something better.
Duane

Fellow Traveler

So many lessons to be learned on this journey of faith. One of the many that I'm learning is to be faithful wherever I am, in whatever situation I'm in, and with whoever I'm able to come along side in their journey. A new guy started working part-time at Sears a couple of weeks ago. He's a pilot part of the week and needed something part-time to help with the bills. I know what it's like to be the new guy at work so I'm trying to help him learn the ropes as quickly as possible. The other day as we were unloading the semi-trailer full of appliances and stuff into our stock room, he began telling me about being laid off from his pilot job that same week. He and his wife and son moved here from Northern Virginia to get out of the rat-race, like many others, but now he's facing some pretty tough times ahead if he doesn't get another pilot's job soon. He has a big house and an even bigger house payment. What do you say to someone in this situation? I don't have the answers for our economy. I live in a community where over 150 homes have gone into foreclosure since the beginning of the year. All I knew to do was share a little bit of our story and how God has done some amazing things. I told him about John, whom God had sent into our lives to buy our house and keep our credit it tact. I used our experience to tell him that God can do something amazing in his life too. I can't guarantee him anything. But, I know first-hand of God's faithfulness to me. I read about it this morning where Samuel reminded unfaithful Israel, "God, simply because of who he is, is not going to walk off and leave his people" 1 Samuel 12:22. Since then, he has asked me questions and it has opened up a conversation that I hope will continue and hopefully lead him to Jesus. As a Christ-follower, the end of my journey is already settled, but what I do along the journey is for me to decide. Will I come along side of others as a fellow traveler and help lead them in their search for knowing God? I don't know how all this is going to turn out, but even if it's just to help one person on their journey to really know God, it will have been worth it.
Duane

Saving Ourselves

John and I were talking this afternoon about the Culpeper Soapbox Derby which will take place this coming Saturday on Blue Ridge Ave, the street I live on. Our street will be blocked off to traffic with orange cones and hay bails lining the street. We were told the other day by a police officer to park our cars some place else or we wouldn't be able to get out of our driveway after 5am. It's a big deal in our community. It's to be a family event. Fathers and sons, Moms and daughters all building soapbox cars together to compete. One winner from each age group will advance to the Nationals held in Ohio. But the thing that struck me most was one fact about the soapbox race that I wasn't aware of until John told me. He said that each driver runs two races against the same opponent. The first race with their opponent's wheels on their own car and the second race with their own wheels on their own car. I found that quite interesting. Here in this "family fun" event rules had to be made because of those who would try to cheat by doctoring their wheels. I was amazed. I had no idea. It proves once again of the total depravity of mankind. We can't even be honest in an innocent, family fun event like the soapbox derby. Now, I know that not everyone tries to cheat, but given the right circumstances...who knows? It reminds me again that we all need a savior. We can't save ourselves. We can't even keep ourselves from cheating in a kid's race. God brought us here to Culpeper, not because it's a terrible place filled with cheaters. No, he brought us here to tell the people that there is One who can save us... even from ourselves. Jesus.

Duane

Thirsty

What am I thirsty for? I ask that question as I listen to the rain beat down on our house and I watch the river that flows through the park behind our house rise. I've been asking myself that question for a few weeks now ever since I watched a video called "Thirsty". The first week of June, at our Saturday night Mosaic Church, we talked about being thirsty for hope . That very week a friend of mine at work told me that his best friend's ex-girlfriend hung herself from her kid's swing set on Memorial Day. The neighbors found her dead. She had lost all hope. Since then, my friend who told me the story, who himself is a recovering alcoholic, hasn't shown up for work in three weeks. No one's heard from him lately. He's back drinking again. Is it that he's drinking to satisfy his thirst or is he drinking again because there's a thirst deep within himself that he has never been able to quench and he thinks he can quench with alcohol? Has he lost all hope of ever quenching his thirst? Does the alcohol simply numb the thirst for a while? I believe that humanity was created with a thirst...a thirst that only God Himself can quench. We see it from the very beginning with Adam and Eve's desire to walk with God in the garden. They were thirsty for a relationship with their creator. The animals, even creation itself, couldn't satisfy that thirst for relationship with God. Humanity is hopeless without the God who made us thirsty. I find myself trying to satisfy my thirst for Him with other things...so many times. Those things always leave me thirsty. In the New Testament, the prodigal son tried to satisfy his thirst with everything but his father. But, when he finally went home, he found his father running to him, ready to quench his thirst. What am I thirsty for? Ultimately, God. He's not who I always run to, but He always runs to me.
Duane

Spy?

Mom flew in from Jacksonville this weekend accompanied by my brother, David. Since this was her first visit since we moved here last October, we wanted to show her around and catch some of the museums in D.C. One of the museums we spent some time in was the International Spy Museum. We saw all of the gadgetry used over the centuries by spies from all over the world from as way back as the Old Testament, where the Bible talks about Joshua sending spies to spy out the promised land. It was a great museum. At the beginning of the self-guided tour we were shown a picture and asked to pick out the people who looked suspicious and were spies and objects that were being used for spying. Some things were very easy to pick out but others were very difficult if you didn't have a trained eye. It made me wander, what if someone had a portrait and I was in this portrait along with others and people were asked to pick out the "Christ follower"...would they pick me? Of course only God knows our heart, but if someone had to pick...? Is my life different so as to be noticeable to others? What would give it away? Does my life point people to Jesus? I really don't want to be a "spy" for Jesus, someone who deliberately seeks to hide his identity. But, I also don't want to be the guy on the soap box with a megaphone either. I want to be somewhere in the middle...balanced. Loving God out loud by quietly loving my neighbor.
Duane

Fresh Start

There are days when you feel like you need the slate wiped clean, you just need a fresh start. At the store that I work a few days a week, we sell a fuel additive called "Fresh Start". It's a small round cartridge that you put in your gas cap of your lawn mower. Everyday it releases a drop of chemical that keeps the gas clean and fresh so that the engine will run smooth. This morning I was reading Psalm 32 and David said, "Count yourself lucky--how happy you must be--you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean" (The Message). David says this to us as a statement of fact, it's a done deal. You can count on it. You can bet your life on it. How do I know this to be true? Because, as he gave them the cup of wine to drink, Jesus told his disciples, "This is my blood, God's new covenant poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-29). Like the drop of Fresh Start that keeps the gas clean, my life is kept clean by one drop of blood. It cleansed me and it cleanses me. It made my spirit alive. It gave me a new heart that his holy. A place that is clean. A place that God could dwell. David goes on to say, "Count yourself lucky--God holds nothing against you" (v.2). Does all this mean that I never sin anymore? Hardly. When I do sin, I become filled with guilt, like David. When I don't confess it, like David, "all the juices of my life dried up" (v.4). But when I admit to God my failures, when I confess and admit to Him that He's right and I'm wrong, like David, "Suddenly the pressure was gone--my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared" (v.5). Everyone needs a fresh start. My God is the God of the fresh start...the God of the clean slate...the God of the second chance...and the third chance...and the fourth... It's a grace that I cannot comprehend, but I am overwhelmingly thankful for. It's available to all. Come to Him and you too can count yourself lucky.
Duane

Humbled

"So--who is like me?
Who holds a candle to me?" says The Holy.
Look at the night skies:
Who do you think made all this?
Who marches this army of stars out each night,
counts them off, calls each by name
--so magnificent! so powerful!--
and never overlooks a single one?

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, (O Duane)
or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?
God doesn't come and go. God LASTS.
He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows EVERYTHING, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young fold in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
they walk and don't lag behind."
Isaiah 40:25-31 The Message

Just when I thought God had somehow overlooked my situation...my circumstance...God pulled it off. He did what only He could do. Just when I had exhausted every avenue, idea, and plan of my own, God came from what seems out of nowhere and performed the impossible. I am humbled.

Two weeks ago I received a phone call from a man I had never met. He found out about our situation with our home in Florida from someone I don't know. He and his partners specialize in buying homes. My first conversation with John was on a Saturday afternoon. The next day he drove to Okeechobee, Florida (5 hours from Jacksonville) to look at our home. That afternoon he said he would buy the home. Granted, he's not going to buy it for premium price, but considering we have received letters from lawyers in Tampa about foreclosure procedures, we are thrilled. But, that's not the really amazing part. This guy, John, who I have never seen, and only talked to on the phone, is going a step further...beyond what people in his type of business would usually do for people in our circumstance. Get this--he has contacted the bank and is paying $10,000 to bring our mortgage back in good standing, and he is going to pay our monthly mortgage payments for the next few months to keep our credit in tact. He then is going to send a work crew to Okeechobee to, in his words, "doll up" the house for him to resell it. He will buy the house from us and close on it in the next 60-90 days. Is that incredible or what?!! This is no joke or con. Those who know him completely trust him and know his integrity.

I am humbled. God did what only He could do...the impossible! He's an on-time God. He receives all the glory. What a journey this is turning out to be!
Duane

Details

Sometimes I forget that God is interested and concerned about little details as well as the big stuff of my life. He has a way of reminding me. There are many requests I make to God that to me seem insurmountable and even impossible. But, I know that what appears to be gigantic to me is really quite small and really no big deal for the One who created, well, everything. So, if my big stuff is no big deal to Him, then what does that make the little stuff. You know, the little details. Like, lost keys or parking spaces or help to make it through the day, or etc. An amazing thing about my God is that He even "gives a rip" about my small stuff! I tend to think that God only hears me or is only in the big prayer business. For me that's been the "sell my house" prayer and the "build Your church" prayer. Don't get me wrong, those are very important prayers. I'm asking God for those and more. But, what He's teaching me is that He is passionate about me and every single detail of my life. One way He reminded me of this was last week while I was sitting at my son's cub scout meeting. Once a month the cub scouts have their pack meeting where everyone gathers in the fellowship hall of the church where we meet. Each den leader hands out awards for the previous month. One special thing they do to raise money for the pack is sell raffle tickets for baked goods. Each ticket is $1.00. On this night we didn't have much cash on us, so we gathered all the change we could find in the house. Bryce had enough to buy 3 tickets. Not much when you considered there were probably 75 boys all buying tickets. During they night they would pause periodically to call out numbers. One by one the boys would go up and redeem their prize and pick out delicious home-made brownies, cookies, or cakes to take home. As it was nearing the end, I asked God if He would bless Bryce by having his ticket called. It was just a quick little prayer. But, I thought I'd just ask, because I could see the disappointment in Bryce's eyes each time his number didn't get called. As soon as I prayed, it wasn't 5 seconds later that Bryce's number was called. I was amazed. I just thanked God for His care. Now, not every little prayer gets answered like that. God's not a genie that answers every wish we have. But, He used that to remind me how much He cares about it all. Even raffle tickets and brownies.

"Even so, every detail of your body and soul--even the hairs of your head!--is in my care; nothing of you will be lost." Luke 21:16-19

Duane

Kiss It Goodbye

Maybe its because I was raised in a home where money never seemed to be an issue. At least, if it did, I was never aware of it. Or maybe its because I've always tended to take the easy out, play it safe and never "really" stepped out in faith. Whether it was upbringing or personality for some reason the "Christian life" hasn't been that "dangerous". Yes, there have been many difficult challenges, especially as a pastor and dealing with people. But, is being a Christ-follower supposed to be easy? I'm not talking about never having any problems. Of course, everyone has problems now and then. But have we taken away some of the dangerousness of the gospel message...the dangerousness of life change...and replaced it with a message of simplicity? A message that says Jesus doesn't require that much, just believe. I've been challenged in my own personal faith greatly over the last six months. Sometimes I've wanted to have back the less difficult, easier life. I have never been on a journey like these last six months and now I am faced with one of the most difficult, faith-challenging experiences of my life. We are on the verge of losing our home that we put up for sale and left in Florida. It could be foreclosed on by the bank. In fact procedures have already started. Some people told me last August that God would surely sell our house since were were stepping out in faith. And maybe He will because He's God. But, what if He doesn't? What if He's taking us down that path? Here's what I read this morning in Luke 14: 25-33, the Message Translation, "One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, 'Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters---yes, even one's on self!---can't be my disciple. '" Then He said in verse 33 (this is the real kicker), "Simply put, if you're not willing to take what's dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it goodbye---you can't be my disciple" . Wow! "Can't be my disciple". Notice Jesus says this to a group of people who had been following Him. These people liked Jesus and wanted to hear what He had to say. But maybe they had just been hanging around for the free show or the free food. It's like He wants to make it clear to them that the Christ-life is a dangerous life. You have to be willing to kiss it all goodbye and be satisfied with just Him. That is not the easy life. That is the dangerous life, the Christ-life. I could lose my home. The bank could foreclose. My credit could be destroyed. But what is all that compared to Him. I have to be willing to kiss it all goodbye and be satisfied with just Him. So whether I keep it or lose it, keep it or kiss it goodbye, I want to be satisfied with Jesus. I want to be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 4 when they told King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace...But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O King. We still wouldn't serve your gods..." Keep it or kiss it goodbye, it won't make a bit of difference if I'm satisfied with just Him.
Duane

Breathe

Saturday night at our second Mosaic Church gathering, my friends Ben and Michelle led us in singing a song by U2 called 40. The words are taken out of Psalm 40, "I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined and heard my cry, He brought me up out of the pit out of the miry clay." Great song. It got me thinking about Psalm 34 which I had read over several times lately. When we finished the song I shared some of the verses. I love the translation from The Message. It goes like this: "I bless GOD every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God..." Those last fives words are amazing words. As I read them last night they stood out like never before. Can I say those words honestly about myself like David...I live and breathe God? At first I really doubted weather that was possible. After all, I have sinned. So, how could one "live and breathe God" if there is sin in your life? But, the more I think about it, the more I remember that David certainly was not without sin. He ordered Uriah's death. He slept with another man's wife. He had family problems. He wasn't a very good father sometimes. He was concerned about numbers. That being said, how could he pen those words? I, like David, have committed murder, because I have hated someone, and Jesus said that was murder. I have committed adultery because I have lusted and Jesus said that was adultery. How could any of us say those words honestly "I live and breathe GOD?" As I wrestled with it the Spirit began to remind me of who I am in Christ. My identity. David could pen those words because of his identity. In Christ I have been made alive. I have been given the spirit of Christ and that spirit is righteous because He is righteous. Like David, I sometimes give in to my flesh...my old way of doing things without God. But, my spirit is still righteous because it is new. "The old is gone, the new has come." Christ is now my life (Colossians 3:4). "I am crucified with Christ and I know longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20). So, yes, I can say like David, "I live and breathe GOD". He is my life. He is the very breath I breathe. It's amazing when you think of it. Every time I breathe it gives praise to God. It's His breath. It's His life. So lets take David's advice in Psalm 34:3, "Join me in spreading the news, together let's get the word out." Take a deep breath and breathe GOD!
Duane

FEAR

As we accelerate towards our first "official" Mosaic Church gathering there is one emotion that keeps trying to push itself to the forefront...FEAR! Of course there are many other strong feelings right now, like excitement and anticipation and relief and hope. But even in the midst of being excited about finally getting started and that sense of anticipation about what God is going to do, there is also a little sense of fear in the back of my mind. Fear...because I haven't spoken in front of a group of people in over 7 months...because there are so many things I want to say on this first gathering, but I don't want to overwhelm...that nobody will show up...that I might blow it...that I might not be creative enough...that I might bore them to death...Fear. One thing that I'm starting to notice as I'm writing this is that I might just have an "I" problem. I've been saying "I" during this whole search of my emotions. I believe God is saying to me that as long as its all about "I" then it won't be about "Me" ("Me" as in referring to God). In my flesh fear desires to take over. But, in Christ, in living His life through me, peace takes over. I have an amazing sense of peace. A peace that goes beyond human understanding. I told my friend Joel last night that this just feels right. Starting Mosaic Church in our house this Saturday night feels right. I'm at peace with that. That is Christ living His life through me. When I allow myself to revert back to my old flesh patterns, fear takes over. It does every time. But when Christ is living in and through me, what do I have to be afraid of? As I was writing, the words to "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" came to mind:

"Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same, And He must win the battle."

There really is nothing to fear! "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace." Colossians 3:15

"For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" Colossians 3:3-4

Duane

Dependence

Lately, I've been reading one of the Moody Classics on the life of George Mueller entitled, Answers To Prayer. If you don't already know, George Mueller lived in the 1800's in Bristol, England. He opened many orphanages that ministered to thousands of children. The amazing thing about him was he started with little or no money and he never told anyone his needs. He simply prayed and asked God to supply. By that he was totally dependent upon God to meet his needs. He never depended upon himself or other people, but God alone. He said that what prompted his total dependence upon God and not man was the fact that he saw so many believers who did not really believe in a LIVING GOD. His desire was to encourage other's faith in a LIVING GOD and that God would receive all the glory for doing what he and no one else could do. One of the statements that George Mueller wrote was this: "Either we trust in God, and in that case we neither trust in ourselves, nor in our fellow-men, nor in circumstances, nor in anything besides; or we DO trust in one or more of these, and in that case do NOT trust in God." These and many other statements have caused much introspection. Do I really trust God? Sometimes I don't, I have to say. I sometimes come up with my own solutions or a plan B if God doesn't come through. Sometimes I trust in others and what they can do for me. When it comes to God's provision for my financial needs I can easily call someone, a friend or family member, when I get in a bind instead of simply praying and trusting God to provide. I have to admit that sometimes I get scared and think that He's not going to come through and I begin to try and figure things out on my own. How much of what we do as a church involve truly trusting God completely? How much of the money and support we raise comes from truly trusting God or is it trusting in man? These are things I'm struggling with and trying to work through. I believe God is using these times in my life to grow me into more dependence on Him. If God doesn't come through, then I'm sunk. When it comes to Mosaic Church, if God doesn't come through, then we're done. Dependence. I think this is exactly the place he wants me to be.

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32
Duane

Running

Today is Easter. Today we celebrate the very pinnacle of our faith, the resurrection of Christ. What a glorious day that gives us all hope. The awesomeness and divine power displayed in the resurrection of God's Son is hard to express in words. Yet, this morning, as we read John's account of the most important event in history, I had to laugh. Wait a minute, before you cast me off as a heretic, hear me out. As we stood in church and read John 20 it stood out to me that twice in the passage John points out that he beat Peter in a race to the tomb. I had to laugh. Sorry. But it just struck me funny that right in the middle of retelling the story by the inspiration of the Spirit, John feels the need to point out that he "outran Peter and reached the tomb first" (v.4). Isn't that funny? Well, to me it was. Why the need to point that out? It's like John was saying, "So Peter and I started to the tomb to go see if Mary's story was true, and, oh, by the way, I outran Peter and got there first..." I've been thinking about this today. Why the interjection? I can't really say for sure because I'm not John, I can only give my own commentary. To me, though, it speaks of the humanness of the resurrection. These are real people involved in this story. They're not made up! We all know about and focus on the divine power of the resurrection. But, there's also the human side, the finite side to the story. Christ rose again to give us new life. To give us His life. To give John new life. The guy who could outrun Peter any day of the week. Christ, the Divine Son of God died and rose again for human beings, even competitive guys like you and me and John. He did what we couldn't do ourselves because we are mere mortals. Humans who are competitive and pacifist, philanthropists and selfish, over-achievers and under-achievers, moral and immoral...human. He rose again to give life to us ALL. Thanks John for bragging about your race to the tomb. Thanks Jesus for giving me, a mere human, Your life.
Duane

Growing

I'm being taught so many things on this journey. It seems that I encounter situations and people everyday that Father is using to bring about either changes in my life or deeper understanding of Him or greater insight into what it means to be a Christ-follower or being light in darkness. I'm learning to live out Philippians 2 where Paul tells us to put others needs above our own. Now I have found that somewhat easy to do around my family...most of the time. I mean I really do put my kid's needs before my own. I have gone without so that my kids could have. Most of the time I put my wife's needs before mine...not always...but most of the time. I can be selfish. Okay, some of the time I put her needs before mine. But, where I really struggle is with those I really don't care for. You know...those hard-to-get-along-with people. Sometimes they can be the person you work along side of everyday. Putting their needs above my own can be difficult. I struggle with it sometimes. In my job at Sears we work on an hourly wage plus commissions based on sales. It can be very competitive. There is a temptation to be dishonest with my fellow employees. For instance, when someone calls and wants to buy an appliance, but they want it put under my fellow employee's number so that they get the commission. I have a choice. I could put the sale under their number or not. The customer would never know. So, I have a choice. Put their needs above my own or not. I'm growing. I learning to put my selfish desires aside and let Him live His life through me. It's not easy. I haven't always been honest. I have failed, but God in His grace is growing me. Thank you Father for your grace.
Duane

Relentless Pursuit

What does God want from me? What are His expectations of me? These are questions I have thought about often. More often than not, I usually answer these questions with something I have to do. What is it God wants for me to "do"? What's my "to do" list from God? That list that will make Him happy with me if I complete or at least attempt. Maybe if I share my faith with more people or be a kinder person or love my wife more or think less bad thoughts or say less bad words about others, or etc... The list could go on infinitely. Even though these are good things, is that really what God cares about? What I do or don't do? I don't think so. Don't misunderstand, even Jesus had a "to do" list. In John 17:4 Jesus prayed, "I have brought you (Father) glory on earth by completing the work you gave me (Son) to do." There is work to be done. But is that what Father wants of us? Is God helpless and just can't get things accomlished without us? Am I that arrogant? God gently reminded me again what He desires from me. I haven't been able to get away from these verses in John 17 lately. In verse 3 Jesus prays, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." There it is. Father wants me to know Him. That's what we are called to do. That's what this journey is all about. Knowing Him! My job, your job is to relentlessly pursue knowing God. Nothing else matters.

Duane

"Breathless Expectation"

I picked up a book at the Evolve conference last week by Mark Batterson titled, In A Pit With A Lion On a Snowy Day. I've been using it as a devotional book each morning. If you haven't read this book you need to get it! Chapter 5 is called "Guaranteed Uncertainty" and the Holy Spirit really worked on me through the words Mark wrote. He starts the chapter with a quote from Oswald Chambers, "To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways; we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness; it should rather be an expression of breathless expectation." That really made me think...am I really certain of God...so certain of God even though I don't know what will come about by the end of the day? And, is that a sad feeling or feeling of incredible anticipation for what God will do? Life should be lived in "breathless expectation" of God. I should be so certain of God that I live in anticipation, like the song says by Steven Curtis Chapman, "This is the great adventure." But, if you're like me, you don't always live that way. Even though I say I'm certain of God I tend to live not in breathless expectation but more in acute anxiety. But God in His grace keeps teaching me to trust Him and He continues to remind me that He loves me even when I'm not living in "breathless expectation". But that is where I want to live. I started out this day not living in breathless expectation. I really felt down for some reason. You ever have those days when you just can't seem to get going? Then God's grace showed up and reminded me that I can be certain of Him. I had to go to the Alltel store to get a replacement phone for my daughter. I thought I was going to have to pay $165 bucks but ended up getting one for free. Then our realtor called and said she had 4 calls today about our house. She said that she hadn't had four calls about any house recently and that the prospects for renting it looked good. God is in the business of pulling off what seems impossible...He keeps graciously reminding me. So, why not just live in "breathless expectation"? I'm learning that's the way to really live.

Duane

How Big Is My God?

The road trip was definitely a "God thing". God did so many amazing things in my life and in the group of guys I went with...I'll brag on God. There have been moments in my journey where I could undoubtably sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in a place. On Monday afternoon, sitting in the worship center of Mountain Lake Church, I had that sense...that God was truly there in our presence...that the Holy Spirit was speaking to me through a young pastor from Charlotte, NC, named Steve Furtick. It was a powerful moment. Steve challenged me with two statements. (1) "Courageous leadership is not the result of cut and paste. It must be born from the inside out." (2) "The difference between a daydream and a burning vision is the audacity to act." The first statement has to do with how some in the church planting world tend to copy what others are doing instead of following the moving of the Holy Spirit in their own life. The second statement has to do with "How big is my God?" Is my God so big that He can do anything? If I really believe that, then I will have the audacity to act in faith. God can do the impossible. He wants to do something so big in my life and in the life of Mosaic Church that can only be explained as it was God. It will be said, "There's no other way it could have happened except for God". Father knew what I needed to be reminded of. I needed to remember that this journey I'm on...this thing called church planting...this vision of Mosaic Church in Culpeper, VA, is so big that when I look back I can only say that it was God and God alone who pulled if off. How big is your God?

Duane

Road Trip!

A couple of months ago a fellow church planter, Clint Clifton, of Pillar Church in Dumfries, asked me to go to a conference in Atlanta called Evolve. He said it would be free, so, being the intelligent guy that I am, I said "yes". What he didn't tell me was that I'd be travelling with 7 other guys in an RV! I haven't been this close to a group of guys I think since high school. I bet the smells won't be any better either. You know, come to think of it, Jesus travelled around with a group of guys for 3 years. Well, not in a RV, of course. But, nevertheless, he became pretty tight with his disciples. They did life together day in and day out. Imagine that! They ate, drank, walked, slept, laughed, cried, prayed, and played together. These guys hung out with the Creator of the Universe...God in the flesh. It's almost inconceivable that God would care about us so much that He would come and live with us. He emptied Himself and wrapped Himself in flesh and hung out with us...lived life with us. Amazing isn't it that God would care about our mundane day-to-day stuff. But, He does. He proved it by living life with those guys for 3 years. Then in their hour of grief, as His disciples were confused, discouraged, and brokenhearted, Jesus shows up again to walk with them. "Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus...Jesus himself came up and walked along with them" Luke 24:13,15. He came to walk with them and heal their broken hearts. That's what He wants to do with all of us. But not just to walk with us, but to live in us. You can't get any closer than that! Have you ever thought, "I can't live this Christ-life." Well, that's right, you can't. But He can and will as He lives in and through us. What a trip this is Jesus!

Duane

Where Did Jesus Go?

A certain Bible verse seemed to jump off the page to me this morning as I listened to a pastor give his sermon. The verse is in Luke 19 and the story is about Jesus entering the city of Jericho where He meets a man named Zacchaeus. Word spreads in the town that Jesus has arrived and Zacchaeus really wants to see Him. But, as you probably already know, Zacchaeus was a short man, and, not able to see over the crowd, runs ahead and climbs up a Sycamore tree and waits for Jesus to pass by. Now verse 5 is what struck me this morning. It reads, "When Jesus reached the spot, he stopped and looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus come down immediately, I MUST STAY AT YOUR HOUSE TODAY.'" The thing that really struck me was the fact that Jesus goes to where the lost are. He doesn't wait for them to come to Him. He goes to where they live, where they hang out. He goes to their turf. He doesn't ask them to come to His. He meets people where they are. As I think about this, I am also reminded that Jesus now lives in me by His Spirit. Paul said in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME..." Christ lives in me and through me. Christ is my life (Colossians 3:4). If Jesus' passion is to meet people where they are, how does He do that today? Through me. Through you. We can't sit back and wait for the lost world to come to us. We have to go where they are...their turf...where they hang out. Where would that be today? Maybe the bars, coffee shops, parks, bowling allies, parties, wherever people hang out. "Wait a minute", someone might say, "Christians shouldn't go in bars." Well, Jesus went to those places (maybe not the bowlings allies) and He was criticized too. Verse 7 says, "All the people saw this and began to mutter, 'He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.'" He sure did. He went to be the guest of a sinner, because that's why He came. Verse 10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Most churches I've been a part of sit and wait for the lost to come to them. Mosaic Church will be a place where we prepare the people to go to the lost.

Duane

Setting Our Sights

I used to be an avid hunter. During our years living in Michigan I would go deer hunting with several guys from my church. One of my best friends, Bryce, whom our son is named after, taught me a great deal about hunting. Bryce hunted and trapped almost year round. He even travelled out west to hunt big game like Elk. One of the things he taught me was how to set the sight on my gun. Every year before deer season opened we would take our rifles, mount them on stands and set our sights. We would look through the scope, put the cross hairs on the target and fire. After looking at the target to see where we hit it, we would then make adjustments to our scope until the bullet was hitting the bullseye each time we fired. One of my concerns since we came to Culpeper was who was going to be our "target". Who were we going to focus on reaching? Not that we don't want to reach everyone. But every church seems to have a target whether they say it or not. Every church seems to do well at reaching certain age groups or types of people. Every church has a purpose. Who will be our target? As we set our sights the target is getting clearer. God is using people He has put in my life to help bring us into focus on who He wants us to reach. As I have prayed for God to show me and guide me He has begun to bring people in my life who are helping us narrow our focus. One of the real needs it seems in this community is for ministry to 20 somethings. There are lots of churches with great ministries to families and children and older adults, but there's not a lot going on to reach the 20 somethings...young adults who have graduated and are going to college or beginning a career. All of what God has put in our hearts...the vision...the dream for Mosaic seems to be ideal for reaching these young adults. The casual, come as you are atmosphere will do well to attract and reach them with the life-changing truth of the gospel. Pray for us as we continue to seek God's guidance and narrow our focus and set our sights.

Duane

The Extreme Sport Of Church Planting

Watching the finals of the Winter X Games I'm amazed at how extreme these guys will go to win a medal at their sport. It's just crazy to watch these guys back-flipping snowmobiles 20ft in the air or nailing some amazing snowboard tricks on the half-pipe. They will go to extremes to find new ways to take their sport to another level and win the gold. I'm lovin' watching these guys! This week I got to hang out with some other guys who, along with me, are in the extreme sport of church planting. I say extreme because we are doing whatever it takes to reach this generation with the life-changing message of Christ. Paul says, "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" 1 Corinthians 9:25. Paul reminds me that I am in the greatest sport in the world. I'm on the greatest team in the world. Reaching our generation for Jesus is the reward that will last forever, because people last forever. What a privilege to be on the same team with guys like Clint, Jamie, Matt, and Jonathan.

Tonight we had seven here at our home to continue sharing our vision of planting Mosaic Church here in Culpeper. One of the challenges that we face is figuring out what will be most effective in reaching the people of this community. It's an extreme sport and sometimes it takes extreme, out-of-the-box, unconventional ways. Pray for us as church planters to have wisdom and direction from Father to know what will be the most effective for the Kingdom.

Pray also for us as we interview a young man from Beaumont, TX for the position of worship leader. His name is Joshua Rogers. We are asking Father for the right person for this important position on our launch team.

Father reminded me this morning, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" Galatians 6:10. So we keep going, because its not about us, its about those who aren't on the team yet.

Duane